Journal box



Patented July 23, 1940 I UNITED STATES JOURNAL BOX William Blackmore, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, as signor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio Ohio, a corporation of Application August 20, 19 38, Serial No. 225,972

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a resilient end stop for a journal used in a railway journal box and more particularly to means associated with the end stop adapted to maintain the spring means 5 of the stop securely in position within the box and to securely hold the thrust block mounted on the spring.

My invention comprises novel improvements in the construction of resilient journal end thrust 10.. arrangements disclosed in copending applications Serial No. 91,690, filed July 21, 1936, and Serial No. 130,443, filed March 12, 1937. With the usual construction of leaf spring journal end stop, due to the continual jarring of the box during move- 15.. ment of the car, the spring leaves may become loosened in their positions in the box, and the thrust block loosened on the spring, which results in a noisy box and eventually causes cracking of the thrust block. In the present inven- 20.,.tion to efiectively overcome the above disadvantages, I provide snubber springs which when assembled with the usual leaf spring hold the leaf spring tightly within its mountings in the box and also securely hold the thrust block in posi- 25, ,tion on the leaf spring. Other features and advantages of my invention will .be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a partial horizontal sectional view, 30,, taken on line l-I of Fig. 2 of a conventional journal box, showing an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the forward end of the journal box of.

ssFie.

Figure 3 is a partial horizontal sectional View of a journal box of the free oiling type showing a further embodiment of my invention, and is taken on line 33 of Fig. 4.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the forward end of the Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a'partial horizontal sectional View of the box shown in Fig. 3, but showing an apzzgplication of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is a partial horizontal view of the box shown in Fig. 3, but showing another embodiment of my invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, there .50.--:is shown a journal box of conventional construction having a journal H extending therein and the customary brass l2 and wedge l3.

Side walls l4 of the box are provided with suitable openings l for receiving leaf spring N5 of 55 ;the end stop. The vertical walls of the'openings journal box of are provided with thrust receiving surfaces I 1 and [8 which are curved to utilize the maximum length of leaf spring possible within the confines of a given journal box and to permit the spring to rock as it is flexed in operation. Cover plates 5 19 are positioned at each end of the spring and serve to hold the spring in position and toprevent entry of dust and moisture into the box through the openings [5. Mounted upon spring I6 is thrust receiving member 26 comprised of top and bottom walls 2| and 22, respectively, vertical connecting wall 23, and thrust receiving wall 24. Surface 25 of wall 24 is normally spaced from the end of the journal and is lubricated by means of oil passage 26 which connects surface 25 with pocket 21, filled with oil soaked waste. Inner surface 28 of wall 24. is curved so as to permit deflection of the spring during lateral thrusts of the journal. Wall 24 is provided with lateral extensions 29 adapted tomaintain member 26 in its central position on thespring.

. In order that spring I6 and member may be securely positioned relative to each other and to the box, I provide snubber springs 30 and 3| which beforeassembly are initially bent along a curve as shown by the dot-dash lines in Fig. 1. Upon assembly of spring I6 with member 20 and snubber spring 3!, the latter is straightened and pushes outwardly against wall 24 to hold member 20 firmly on spring l6. Snubber'spring 30,. upon insertion of the assembly in the box, bears at its ends against'surfaces lland holds the assembly tight in the journal box. It will be noted in Fig. 1 that both snubber springs before assembly are shown curved in the same direction, this beingessential to the proper functioning of said springs after assembly thereof.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, there is shown a journal box of the free oiling type, having a journal 36 extending into the box, a brass 31, and a Wedge 38 positioned between the journal and the top of the box. An oilconveying member 39 is secured to the end of journal 36 by means of bridge member 40 which serves to transmit journal thrust to the end stop. Member 39 clips into and picks up oil from reservoir 4| at the bottom of the'box and the oil is either thrown onto an upper wall 42 of the box, from which it flows or drops by gravity into a groove 43 in bearing member 31, or, it dropsdirectly by gravity from member 39 into groove 43 from which it flows through suitable channels to the surfaces to be, lubricated. The closure member 44 secured to the endof the box by means of studs and gaskets 45 provides an oil tight seal and also serves as a housing for the journal end stop comprising spring 4'! and thrust receiving member 48 mounted thereon. Member 44 is provided with a horizontal recess 49 formed of upper and lower walls 59 and 5|, respectively, and a vertical front wall 52 joining walls 50 and 5i. Member 48 comprises top and bottom walls 53 and 54, respectively, vertical connecting wall 55, and the thrust receiving portion 56. Portion 56 is curved on its inner surface, as at 51, to permit deflection of spring 47 during thrusts by the journal, and its outer side facing bridge member 40 is provided with a thrust receiving surface 58 adapted to receive journal thrusts transmitted thereto by member 40. Portion 56 is also provided with an oil passage 59 through which oil collecting in pocket 55 of member 48 may flow to lubricate thrust surface 58. Lower wall 5! of the housing may be raised at each end, as at 6|, so as to form a support for the ends of'spring 41, leaving ample clearance between bottom wall 54 of member 48 and wall 51 of member 44. Curved spring seating surfaces 62 are provided in the housing for the spring ends to permit rocking of the spring during lateral thrusts of the journal. Member 44 is provided with portions 63 which overlap the ends of spring 41 and thus serve to position the spring horizontally therein.

To effectively hold spring 41 tightly within the housing I provide snubber spring 54 which before assembly is bent into the curved position as shown by the dot-dash lines. Spring 64 when in its assembled position with spring 41 is slightly -:cm-ved, the ends of the spring bearing against portions 55 of front wall 65 of the box. The pressure thus produced by spring 64 against spring 41 maintains spring 4'5 securely in position. To assure proper assembly of spring 64 within the box each end of member 44 is provided with a dowel 67 extending outwardly from portion 63 and adapted to be received by openings 58 in wall 65. With this construction, if during assembly spring 64 slides into such a position that -it. covers dowel opening 68, closure member 44 can not be applied to the box as dowel Bl will engage the spring preventing proper positioning of member 44.

I In order that member 48 may be held securely on position with respect to spring 41, I provide snubber spring 59 (Figs. 3 and 4) which is interposed between spring 4! and wall 55 of member 48 and before assembly is bent into the curved position as shown by the dot-dash lines. During assembly straightened and as can be readily seen the force of the compression will hold member 55 tightly in position.

It will of course be understood that the arrangement of the snubber springs as shown in Fig. 3 may be readily applied to the box shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5 is shown the application of the snubber springs, shown in Fig. l, to the free oiling type of box. In this embodiment snubber spring it: is similar to spring 54, shown in Fig. 3, While snubber spring ll replaces spring 89. The dotdash lines represent the initial relative positions of the springs before assembly. With this arrangement of snubber springs the leaf spring as in the previous embodiments is securely held in position, and the thrust receiving member is tightly held in position. It will be noted that with the arrangement of snubber springs shown -in Fig. 1, as thrusts by the journal are applied with springs 41 and 54 spring 69 is' against the end stop, the snubber springs 30 and 3| will be increasingly stressed above the stress initially caused by the compression thereof during assembly. The arrangement of the snubber springs shown in Fig. 5 in which the positions of the springs are reversed to those in Fig. 1, will cause a release of the stress therein when the end stop is subjected to a thrust, up to the point where the spring assumes its initial form before assembly. Further bending of the springs then sets up stresses therein. With the snubber springs as arranged in Fig. l a heavy thrust against the springs may cause them to assume a permanent set so that they will no longer function properly. However, it is to be understood that either arrangement of snubber springs may be employed in any given box with satisfactory results.

In Fig. 6 in addition to the snubber springs there is shown a liner 72 which is interposed between wall 52 of member 44 and leaf spring 41, 47, the purpose of the liner being to prevent wearing of surfaces 52 of said member. Liner l2 fol lows substantially the contour of the inner surface of wall 52 and at its end portions provides bearing surfaces for spring 41.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions; of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described said box in one direction, a thrust block mounted on said spring opposite the end of said journal, and means in said box initially bent along a curve and adapted to maintain said spring means tightly in said walls and to maintain said spring means tightly within said block.

2. In a journal box having side walls with openings therein, a journal in said box, leaf spring means in said box having its ends mounted in said openings and adapted to cushion movement of said journal relative to said box in one direction, a thrust block mounted on said spring opposite the end of said journal, and means in said box initially bent along a curve and adapted to be. compressed when assembled so as to maintain said spring means tightly in said openings and to maintain said spring means tightly within said block.

3. In a journal box having side walls with openings therein, a journal in said box, leaf spring means in said box having its ends mounted in said openings and adapted to cushion movement of said journal relative to said box in one direction, a thrust block mounted on said spring opposite the end of said journal, and spring means associated with said leaf spring adapted to be compressed within said block to maintain said leaf spring tightly within said block.

4. In a journal box having side walls, a journal in said box, leaf spring means in said box having its ends mounted in said walls and adapted to cushion movement of said journal relative to said box in one direction, a thrust block mounted on said spring opposite the end of said journal, and spring means within said box initially bent along acurve adapted to be compressed when assembled therein to maintain said leaf spring tightly in said walls and to maintain said block tightly on said leaf spring.

5. In a journal box having a front wall and an opening therein, a journal extending into said box, a closure member for said opening, said closure member having an inwardly facing pocket, spring seats in said closure member and said box, leaf spring means in said pocket having its ends mounted between said seats and adapted to cushion movement of said journal relative to said box in one direction, a thrust block mounted on said spring opposite the end of said journal, and means in said box initially bent along a curve and adapted to be compressed when assembled therein so as to maintain said spring means tightly between said seats and to maintain said spring means tightly within said block.

6 In a journal box having a front wall and an opening therein, a journal extending into said box, a closure member for said opening, said closure member having an inwardly facing pocket, spring seats in said closure member and said box, leaf spring means in said pocket having its ends mounted between said seats and adapted to cushion movement of said journal relative to said box in one direction, a thrust block mounted on said spring opposite the end of said journal, means in said box initially bent along a curve and adapted to be compressed when assembled therein so as to maintain said spring means tightly between said seat, and other means within said block initially bent along a curve and adapted to be compressed when assembled therein so as to maintain said spring means tightly within said block.

'7. In a journal box having a front wall and an opening therein, a journal extending into said box, a closure member for said opening having a front wall, said closure member having an inwardly facing pocket, spring seats in said closure member and said box, leaf spring means in said pocket having its ends mounted between said seats and adapted to cushion movement of said journal relative to said box in one direction, a thrust block mounted on said spring opposite the end of said journal, renewable liner means interposed between said wall of said member and said spring means, and means associated with said spring means initially bent along a. curve and adapted to maintain said spring means tightly between said spring seats and to maintain said spring means tightly within said block.

I 8. In combination with a journal box having a journal extending'therein, leaf spring means extending transversely across said box, a thrust receiving member mounted on said spring means for cushioning lateral movement of said journal relative to said box in one direction, and means engaging said leaf spring means, said member and said box, and exerting pressure thereagainst for holding said spring means firmly in said box and for maintaining said member in position on said spring means.

9. In combination with a journal box having a journal extending therein, leaf spring means extending transversely across said box, a thrust receiving member mounted on said spring means for cushioning lateral movement of said journal relative to said box in one direction, and means engaging said leaf spring means, said member and said box, and exerting pressure thereagainst for holding said spring means firmly in said box and for maintaining said member in position on said spring means, said second mentioned means comprising auxiliary leaf spring means initially bent and adapted to be partially or wholly straightened upon assembly with said member and journal box.

10. In combination with a journal box having a journal extending therein,'a closure for said box, leaf spring means in said closure, athrust receiving member mounted on said spring means for cushioning lateral movement of said journal in one direction, auxiliary means for maintaining said member on said spring means, other spring means initially bent along a curve adapted to bear against portions of said box for holding said leaf spring means firmly in said box, and means projecting inwardly from said closure member for positioning said other spring means laterally of said box.

11. In a device of the character described, a journal box, a shaft journalled in the box, a leaf spring extending crosswise of the box, a thrust block opposed to the shaft and having an opening for the spring, the spring being composed of a plurality of leaves substantially filling the opening, and one of the leaves having an inherent tendency to bow to maintain a pressure between the composite spring and the opposite walls of the openings; substantially as described.

WILLIAM BLACKMORE. 

